IVF Gave Me My Miracle Baby, But the Path to Conceiving Wasn’t Easy

For individuals or couples in Australia who wish to have a child but are dealing with fertility issues, IVF or in vitro fertilisation can be an answered prayer. As the most effective form of assistive reproductive technology (ART), IVF significantly improves the chances of a successful pregnancy and, consequently, a healthy baby.

While it can be a long journey, women who have gone through the procedure will tell you that the wait is worth it. Terese Currey, 43, struggled with infertility for a decade before conceiving her daughter, Joshwany, through IVF. But she was lucky that her path to having a baby was fairly easy – from the 16 eggs extracted from her body, eight were fertilised and seven went to the embryo and blastocyte stage. 

“I was completely blessed. It was amazing, I couldn’t believe it. My doctor kept telling me ‘you’re a miracle’ and she put it down to the fact that I have such a calm persona,” Terese recalls.

While Terese’s pregnancy was smooth sailing, Terese admits that IVF can also be physically, emotionally, and mentally tasking, especially since she felt undergoing the procedure was akin to admitting she was a failure. “I worked very closely with a [mental health] coach during that time and it didn’t have anything to do with IVF but more with myself,” she says.

Terese adds, “Before, my relationship with IVF was negative. I really felt it was wrong. But I had some beautiful conversations with my husband after every appointment and I realized that [IVF] was a science that came from God, and from that moment on I knew it was going to be okay.”

Choosing to undergo IVF can take a toll on a woman’s well-being, especially since it can take several cycles before becoming pregnant. For A’Teha Day, who experienced 5 miscarriages before finally experiencing successful implantation and conceiving her rainbow baby, the process was scary and overwhelming. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes, but it’s just a lot some days,” she says in one of her TikTok videos detailing her IVF journey. “I have to worry about if the embryo takes, I have to worry if it stays around… or if I’m going to have another miscarriage.”

Apart from the physical and mental burden, IVF in Australia can also be a tough battle financially. A single IVF cycle can average around $5,483, and not all patients can use Medicare rebates on the treatments. This is especially true for LGBTQIA+ couples or individuals who want to have kids on their own, as Medicare rebates are only applied to those diagnosed with medical infertility.

A’Teha admits that she and her husband had to utilise their super to pay for some of the procedures when she went through IVF. “These things that you don’t think of just add up and you can be going through IVF for multiple cycles so it just gets more and more expensive,” she says. “If you’re a couple who doesn’t have the funds to do this then it’s heartbreaking.

Ovessa hopes to change Australia’s fertility financing landscape as the first lending agency with flexible, affordable loans that are tailored to the fertility process, as well as family loans for those dealing with the increased expense of a new baby. We believe everyone deserves access to these treatments and we want to give the opportunity to individuals and couples who wish to have a child through IVF.

Ovessa offers competitive interest rates with no penalty for early repayment and loan exits. We also offer options for longer loan term lengths, which mean smaller monthly payments, and loan repayment pauses for up to 12 months. Payment terms can be up to 10 years or as short as needed and done through weekly, fortnightly, or monthly direct debit. 

“IVF is not only emotionally a lot – it is so expensive and, up until now, there has never been a specific finance company catered for IVF and for egg freezing until Ovessa,” A’Teha shares.

She adds, “When we went through IVF, I didn’t know about Ovessa. I think this is something so exciting for couples and worth checking out.”

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